The Sorcerer's Apprentice
A lot of money has been put into the making of Jerry Bruckheimer’s latest blockbuster The Sorcerer’s Apprentice but it has received mixed reviews. Bruckheimer and Cage studied the Disney archives and included a short portion from the Disney classic Fantasia.
The original Sorcerer’s Apprentice stars Mickey Mouse who tries to escape his sweeping duty by injecting life into mops and ordering them to work on his behalf.
But the movie has little in common with its source. It is easy to comprehend the movie but it lacks the splendid charm and wit of the animated Apprentice. The film stands incoherent with an overdose of special effects, loud action sequences and poor comedy.
With a setting of the medieval times, the flick begins with Merlin-trained sorcerers and lovers Balthazar (Cage) and Veronica (Monica Bellucci) pursuing their former comrade Horvath (Alfred Molina), who has since sided with dark magic led by Morgana (played by the Borg Queen herself, Alice Kirge).
Veronica is seized by Morgana in the journey forcing Balthazar to imprison the spirits of both in a magical container forever. Many years pass as he tries to find a suitable heir to Merlin’s genius until he finds one in 21st-century Manhattan successfully. Fortunately, it prevents Horvath devilish plans of reviving Morgana and destroying the world from being put into action. Most of the narrative revolves around airy flights of people or produce gigantic balls of fire thrown at each other.
Magic and Science are thus interwoven in the narrative but with loose strands.
Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel) who is Balthazar’s novice is represented as social misfit and a science nerd. Following the Pirates of the Caribbean pattern, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice attempts to weigh down the flaws by inducing some very humorous and commendable scenes following the Pirates of the Caribbean league.
The character of Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel) who is Balthazar’s novice is represented as social misfit and a science nerd. Dave gets romantically inclined towards a colleague but Balthazar signals and warns him against it.
This scene is very captivating but unfortunately, there are not many such scenes.
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice stands incoherent on the whole and fails to connect much with the audience.
